Borknagar is a black metal band from Norway, started in 1995. The founder, Øystein Garnes Brun, invited many "big name" members to join what would eventually be an incredibly popular band. Their music has been described as Tree Metal, but while tree metal makes you think of happy elves Borknagar sings mainly of Norse Mythology and Norway. The band tries hard to seperate themselves from satanic black metal and consistently calls themselves epic metal. The lyrical content is heavy on Norse Mythology and nature. (In fact, it's hard to find a Garm era song that doesn't mention snow)

The sound of the band is fairly hard to describe. While they've had three different singers, they all tend to rely on the same style: a fairly high "black metal" voice, coupled with a very throaty clean voice. However, because Garm was the first singer, the rest tend to pale in comparison. The guitars are fairly consistent across all the albums. The guitar style is very strange. They tend to stay in the background, and instead of playing a chug-chug strum pattern style it's a loud hiss/buzz. They're layered over and over themselves to create a fairly natural sounding background, although they are hard to follow at times and occasionally seem to stumble over themselves. Very cool, and I've never heard another band try it. Also, the drums are exceptional, especially on Borknagar and The Olden Domain. It's a very original style, and always adds something extra without sounding rushed. They're played with a very natural feel and sound, instead of the machine gun and flat style of early black metal.


Current Members:
Øystein Garnes Brun: Guitar (founder)
Jens F. Ryland: Guitar
Lars Nedland: Keyboard
Asgeir Mickelson: Drums
Tyr: Bass
Vintersorg: Vocals

Ex-Members:
Garm: Vocals (original singer, also in Arcturus and Ulver)
Infernus: Bass (ex-Gorgoroth member)
Ivar Bjornson: Keyboards (ex-Enslaved member)
Kai K. Lie: Bass
Grim: Drums (dead, ex-member of Immortal, Gorgoroth and Ancient)
Simen Hestnæs: Vocals, Bass

Discography:

Borknagar
Released: 1995 by Malicious Records, again in 1999 by Century Media
Tracklist: Vintervredets Sjelesagn, Tanker mot Tind (Kvelding), Svartskogs Gilde, Ved Steingard, Krigsstev, Dauden, Grimskalle Trell, Nord Naagauk, Fandens Allheim, Tanker mot Tind (Gryning).
Notes: Great press coverage when first released. It was a fresh sound for the Black Metal scene, and the album sold very well. Many fans couldn't wait to get this album, as the creation of the band was big news in itself. Right after the release of this album they signed to Century Media.
Personal Notes: This album is still a fresh sound. It's scratchy and levels are messed up, but you can definately tell where the band is heading. Big, graceful swooping choruses without the horrible overuse of keyboards. Garm really shows off his vocal talents, with a great clean voice and the ability to cleanly and effectively switch to his "black metal" voice. The guitars are amazing in this album, a totally new sound for black metal. Not what I consider their best album, but it's a very good indication of where they're headed.

The Olden Domain
Released: 1997 by Century Media
Tracklist: The Eye of Oden, The Winterway, Om Hundredeaareralting, Glemt, A tale of Pagan Tongue, The Mountains Rove, Grimland Domain, Ascension of our Fathers, The Dawn of the End.
Notes: On this album, Infernus was replaced by Kai K. Lie. The band actively tried to not be called Black Metal, but there's not much they could do. This was another huge seller and the band immediatly went on tour. The was also the last album Garm sang on.
Personal Notes: My personal choice for Borknagar's best album. Garm's voice is amazing, and the guitars switch around between a great rhythmic melodic style to a fericious buzzing. Strong melodic break downs coupled with brain numbingly impressive sections of thrash. The blast beats are just perfect. An amazing album with incredible storytelling. I consider it a black metal "classic" and no record collection should be without.

The Archaic Course
Released: 1998 by Century Media
Tracklist: Oceans Rise, Universal, The Witching Hour, The Black Token, Nocturnal Vision, Ad Noctum, Winter Millenium, Fields of Long Gone Presence.
Notes: This album is the first to feature Jens F. Ryland and Simen Hestnæs . The band had a large change style on this album. Instead of a dirty thrash sound, the band adopted a MUCH more majestic style, fronted by their new singer.
Personal Notes: I was a little dissapointed when I bought this album, as I didn't know Garm had left the band. The overly majestic sound was strange at first, and I missed the fast thrashing parts from before. Slowly, it grew on me though. The album is actually very calming to me, as the orchestration is very layered and deep. I recomend this album, because it shows how the band developed and change throughout the years. The vocals continue to bug me however, because it occasionally sounds like someone stepped on his foot.

Quintessence
Released: 2000 by Century Media
Tracklist: Rivalry of Phantoms, The Presence is Ominous, Ruins of the Future, Colossus, Inner Landscape, Invincible, Icon Dreams, Genesis Torn, Embers, Revolt.
Notes: For this album the band went through another lineup change. Grim, Kai K. Lai and Ivar Bjornson left the band to be replace by Asgeir Mickelson and Lars A Nedland. Many writers felt the band had "matured" on this album, and were impressed that hadn't followed current black metal trends.
Personal Notes: Weak, weak songs. Sorry guys. I bought it, I still listen to it, but i'm not going to see it's anywhere as near as good as your previous albums. What's with that sliding keyboard affect on every song? It's painfully obvious that you're on a downward slope.